Astana, Nov 16 (EFE).- Authorities at Astana international airport on Wednesday intercepted luggage containing 32 live birds of an endangered species of falcon bound for the United Arab Emirates, the Kazakh government said.

The saker falcons were concealed inside four large compartmented pieces of luggage, accompanied by bottles of frozen water to allow the birds to withstand the high temperatures in the UAE, where the species is prized for its hunting skills.

"Border guards confiscated the cargo, comprising living saker falcons, during the loading of baggage" onto Air Arabia Flight 252 from Astana to Sharjah, according to the press office of the Border Service of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee.

The guards inspected the four large pieces of luggage after noting the absence of registration tags, the press office said.

The falcons would fetch an estimated 50,000 euros ($53,457) each on the black market in the UAE, the Border Service said.

BirdLife International, a conservation group, lists the saker falcon as an endangered species due to a rapid decline in the population of the birds, especially in Central Asia.



SHOTLIST: FOOTAGE COURTESY OF THE BORDER SERVICE OF KAZAKHSTAN'S NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE SHOWING BORDER GUARDS INTERCEPTING LUGGAGE CONTAINING 32 LIVE SAKER FALCONS AT THE ASTANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.



Keywords: efe,kazakhstan,falcons,smuggling,astana,saker,nomonetizar